This invention is directed to a carrier apparatus for securing an item such as snow skis, water skis, fishing rods and the like to the roof or to a luggage carrier of a vehicle, and, more particularly, to a carrier apparatus which protects the roof, luggage rack and the item being carried therewith.
Luggage racks are old in the art and different systems have been used to secure articles to a luggage rack or to the roof of a vehicle. Such systems have been patented such as set forth in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,409,946; 4,733,809; 4,817,838; 5,067,644; 5,096,107; and EPO 003,195. Some of these patents do not require a luggage rack and are secured to the gutter by a hook and strap. Others make use of means to secure the carrier to a luggage rack which are time consuming and require considerable effort to secure the devices onto the top of the vehicle.